Living With Trials And Sorrows
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, as we face the crises that come into our lives help us to focus on you. Amen
READ:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NLT
REFLECT:
As I age, the adage that “getting older is not for sissies” becomes more real every day. We can face this reality in only one of two ways if we want to experience the peace that Jesus describes in the focus Scripture. We can rely on the fact that Jesus has overcome the world and look forward to the time when we are with him, or otherwise we can become bitter and be mad at God. I have seen both happen in the lives of two friends of mine. Both are the same age and taught the Word but their responses are polar opposites.
Jane (not her real name) had taught children’s Sunday school for years, but as she got older, she became bitter toward God because of the way He had treated people in the Old Testament and the way her life had turned out. She turned into herself and stopped reading her Bible. She said she loved Jesus but resented God. She is gradually wilting away.
The second individual, Albert (not his real name), had taught and preached for years but he faced his end-of-life journey in a different way. He developed the devastating disease Parkinson’s, but keeps up his involvement in several Bible studies and personal devotions and some teaching. Even as he has been slowed up by the deteriorating disease, he pushes himself to stay active. His goal is to end his life in a positive manner so he can meet Jesus and be told “Well done good and faithful servant.”
APPLY:
Each of us has these two choices as we move through life. We can stay focused on Jesus as the one who overcame the world and have peace, or we can focus inwardly on ourselves and have an unsettling, bitter life. It is our choice.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to rely on you as the overcomer of the world so I can have peace in You. Amen